Challenges and sustainability of contiguous mining leases in India: Legal, environmental, and socio-economic perspectives from Goa, Karnataka, and Odisha states

Mining plays a crucial role in India's economic growth and resource diversification, especially in states such as Goa, Karnataka, and Odisha. However, the growing issue of contiguous mining leases, where neighbouring tenements overlap, has created complex socio-economic, legislative, and environmental governance challenges. This paper provides a comparative evaluation of mining governance and sustainability in these states, using a qualitative approach that incorporates secondary data from public, governmental, legislative, and relevant environmental sources. It analyses the triad of socio-economic displacement, environmental degradation, and inadequate institutional oversight that characterise India's mining governance. Results reveal that although mining significantly contributes to regional GDP and employment, weak enforcement of regulations, outdated cadastral systems, poor boundary management, inequitable compensation, and resource depletion are some factors that exacerbate conflicts. It also highlights how ineffective implementation of the Forest Rights Act (2006), insufficient environmental regulation, and the lack of benefit-sharing arrangements have excluded local and indigenous communities. Drawing on comparative models from Turkey, the European Union, and other BRICS countries, this paper proposes a multifaceted policy approach focusing on (a) GIS and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technologies for precise boundary delineation; (b) basin-based mining to streamline environmental restoration and waste management; (c) a systematic environmental compliance fee to finance monitoring and reclamation; and (d) community-oriented redistribution of royalties through District Mineral Foundations. The paper emphasises that sustainable mining in India requires aligning fiscal, technological, and legal frameworks to achieve equitable mineral governance, thereby integrating environmental accountability with socio-economic inclusion.